1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a process for creating a stop surface on a syringe. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to an in-line process for creating a stop surface on the plunger rod of a syringe.
2. Background of Related Art
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, standard syringes 10 typically include a syringe barrel 12, a plunger rod 14 and a plunger tip 16 (FIG. 2). A proximal end 12a of syringe barrel 12 defines a circular opening dimensioned to slidably receive plunger tip 16 and plunger rod 14. Typically, the distal end 12b of barrel 12 defines a small diameter opening and a connector 20, e.g., a luer type connector, for securing syringe barrel 12 to a medical device, e.g., a needle 21, a catheter, a blood collection device, etc.
It is known in the syringe arts to provide limiting structure within a syringe barrel 12 and/or on a plunger rod 14 to limit or restrict the extent of movement of the plunger in relation to the barrel of the syringe. Generally, the limiting structure is integrally formed on the syringe barrel and/or plunger rod during the molding operation of the syringe barrel and/or plunger rod. As such, changing the location of the position of the limiting structure requires a different molding tool for each stop position. This can be costly and time consuming.
The present disclosure is directed to a new process for creating limiting structure, i.e., a stop member, on a syringe plunger rod. As will be described in detail below, the presently disclosed process allows the design of the plunger rod to be modified in an inline process, after the initial molding process has been completed, such that limiting structure can be provided on the plunger rod to selectively define one or more stop positions at selective locations along the plunger rod. By providing such an inline process, a single molding tool can be used to form plunger rods with one or more selectively located stop positions. Further, a single plunger rod design can be molded and inventoried and later subjected to the in-line process to make plunger rods having stop positions at a variety of different positions.